Ageless

FOR THE ACTIVE, EXPERIENCED CENTRAL OREGONIAN • HEALTH, LIFESTYLE, ENTERTAINMENT & ADVICE

Age Ageless TEA SPRING 2014

THE POWER OF

A PASSION FOR PURPOSE

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Ageless

Spring 2014

Ageless Features A Passion for Purpose ............................................... 5 Having a sense of purpose, says Redmond author, gives people the courage to make a difference in the world.

The ‘Kiss Dogs’ of Crook County .............................. 11 Two Crook County women have poured their hearts and resources into Kiss Me Goodnight Rescue Ranch, a shelter for feral dogs.

The Power of Tea...................................................... 17 In Central Oregon, we enjoy a world of varieties of tea for both flavor and health benefits.

Trail of Dreams ........................................................29 As both a father and a dog sledder, Jerry Scdoris has always followed his passions.

Information & Advice Contributors ................................................................................. 4 Connecting from Afar .................................................................. 8

A magazine featuring health, entertainment, lifestyles and advice for the active, 50-plus Central Oregonian.

Ageless

is a product of The Bulletin’s Special Projects Division, 1777 SW Chandler Ave., Bend, OR 97702, and printed by Northwest Web Press, www.northwestwebpress.com. Ageless is produced in partnership with the Central Oregon Council on Aging.

Financial Advice: Understanding Social Security ..................... 14

All content is the property of The Bulletin/Western Communications, Inc. and may not be reproduced without written permission.

Electronic Medical Records: Crossing the Digital Divide .......... 20

Ageless Staff Members

Submersed in Aquatic Therapy ................................................. 23

Martha Rogers, Special Projects Manager Ben Montgomery, Special Projects Editor Stacie Oberson, Special Projects Coordinator Kari Mauser, Special Projects Editorial Assistant Kevin Prieto, Special Projects Image Coordinator Clint Nye, Graphic Designer Jay Brandt, Advertising Director Steve Hawes, Advertising Sales Manager

Medicare Advice: The Most Common Call ................................ 26 Legal Advice: Why a Revocable Trust? ..................................... 32 Specializing in Veterans’ Final Journeys ................................... 34

COCOA News COCOA Welcomes New Leaders ............................................... 36

Story ideas may be submitted for consideration to Ben Montgomery, managing editor.

Contact him at 541-383-0379 or via e-mail at bmontgomery@bendbulletin.com.

For advertising, call 541-382-1811.

Events Calendar ......................................................................... 38

Published Saturday, March 15, 2014

To subscribe or learn more about all our publications, please call 541-385-5800 or visit us at www.bendbulletin.com. Cover photo by Kevin Prieto; Models: Kelly & Max Clark.

Ageless | 3

Ageless CONTRIBUTORS ANNISSA ANDERSON, a Bend freelance writer and public relations consultant, is also a culinary school grad and worked as a pastry chef. She writes regularly for The Bulletin and other local publications and was a contributing writer in the latest edition of Best Places Northwest. Though she’s lived in the Northwest for the past 20 years, she spent her childhood living and traveling abroad.

An avid crocheter and origamist, JOHN CAL worked as a baker, head chef, ukuleleist and Sno-Cat driver before settling into writing. He enjoys filling his time with yoga, postcard writing and collecting bowties. John also collects candy from around the world — he has a 100-plus specimen collection (and counting) — and lives in Sisters with his dog, Hank.

Former Bulletin business reporter turned international teacher, JEFF MCDONALD, returned to Bend following a three-year sojourn in the Middle East. When he’s not traversing the globe, he enjoys the seasons, the laid-back culture, and the people of Oregon.

Enthusiastic and outgoing, BRIDGET MCGINN enjoys meeting new people and sharing their stories. She spends her days working as a marketing and advertising professional, making photos or documentary films and spending time with her family. She may also be seen being dragged along the end of the leash of her adopted beagle.

GREGG MORRIS is a local freelance writer and musician.

You can find him around town finishing articles at the local tea shop, performing with his band Organic Music Farm or homeschooling his daughter. Supposed free time is spent in the woods with his wife and daughter or skillfully executing his duties as a member of the Deschutes County Search and Rescue team.

Bend has been home to LINDA ORCELLETTO and her husband, Joe, since 1996. Their “fur child” golden retriever keeps them busy with outdoor activities. When not pounding the keyboard or volunteering, she enjoys exploring the back roads and history of Oregon.

A former public affairs TV producer, for the ABC and NBC affiliates in Portland, KATHY OXBORROW is a writer and consultant who helps nonprofits tell compelling stories about their work. Kathy assists organizations with marketing, facilitation, planning and grant writing. She grew up on a Nevada cattle ranch and moved to Bend after stints in San Francisco and Portland.

4 | Ageless

A Passion for

PURPOSE

by Bridget McGinn, for The Bulletin Special Projects

Having a sense of purpose, says Redmond author, gives people the courage to make a difference in the world.

When international adventure travel guide Ken Streater learned of his father’s death, he was deep in the wilds of Africa. Travel was difficult, and there was no flight out until the next day.

That night, as he struggled with his grief miles from home, the guides traveling with him surrounded him, offering a great deal of comfort.

Streater vowed that should any of them ever need support in the future, he would find a way to help.

Years later, when one of the guides who had shared that dark night with Streater began her own struggle with a paralyzing illness, Streater was determined to find a way to lift her spirits and offer her encouragement.

“Kelley Kalafatich was one of the leading female adventure guides in her day, she was an incredibly powerful force,” Streater said. “She helped teach native Zambians how to row and guide down the Zambezi River, allowing them to be self-sufficient at a time when they desperately needed that. She also mentored literally hundreds of younger women to live their dream. I knew I wanted to write about her, and also about other people who do courageous things that allow their communities to be lifted.”

Ken Streater / Photo by Kevin Pieto Ageless | 5

Wanting to learn more about that model of courage, Streater began to reach out to others who had taken steps to lif t their communities.

He inter viewed Vietnam veteran Dennis Guthr ie, the Veterans of Foreig n Wa rs Su rgeon G ener a l who traveled around the countr y spea k ing about Post Trau matic Stress Disorder and reporting to Congress on the issue.

Streater spoke with Josh Kern, a former corporate attorney who left his high-paying position to open a Photo by Carl Natter

to discover it later.”

At the time that he began researching and writing his book, “The Gift of Courage: Stories of Open Hearts, Passion and Purpose,” Streater, who was now living in Redmond with his young family, was dealing with a less than ideal situation. After many fulfilling years of river guiding and leading adventure travel trips around the world, a back injury had redirected him to a teaching job.

He rebounded, founding his own successful outf itting company and investing in

work. And then the market crashed.

“I was in financial peril. I was racked with guilt and shame and really stressed out,” said Streater.

“I felt like an oxymoron; I felt like I wasn’t me.”

Wanting to reconnect with what was truly important to him, Streater began going for solitar y walk s each morning to have time for deep reflection.

“I tried to think about the events and times in my life when I have felt my best, the happiest and the most rewarded,” said Streater.

One memor y that rose to the

Photo by Kevin Kubota

charter high school in one of the roughest communities in the nation, a school from which every student graduates.

“I was like a scientist trying to prove a theory,” said Streater. “And I found case after case of courageous people making a difference. The common thread is that each of these people know what their purpose is.

Some of them knew their purpose in life from a young age, and others had

training that he had helped lead. As each participant spoke, one young Norwegian began to cry, sharing that with this experience his dreams had come true. Streater was deeply moved.

“I felt, at least to some degree that I had been a part helping his dream come true,” said Streater.

The memor y t r ig gerd ot her s similar to it, and Streater realized that often, as a guide on river trips, he would observe people completely decompressing a nd hav ing t he chance to reconnect with what was truly important to them.

“With no connection to the dayto-day buzz, people would reflect on what really mattered,” said Streater. “Those trips were really an amazing gateway for realizing how people live and think based on what society demands of them.

After those trips, people would often change their career or their relationships—they would see the world differently.”

Once a river guide, Streater gave up his business and is able to spend more time with his Redmond family. Photos submitted.

real estate along the way. He sold his company and began focusing more and more on real estate, even though he never felt fully aligned with that

s u r face wa s of sit t i ng around a large table in a r ustic home in Nor way at t he end of a g u ide

Discover Your Life’s Purpose Are you looking for some tips to help you discover your life’s purpose? Ken Streater, author of “The Gift of Courage: Stories of Open Hearts, Passion and Purpose” and the soon-to-bereleased “The Courage Compass: An Essential Guide to Finding Your Meaning and Purpose,” has some suggestions.

6 | Ageless

Prepare to Be Courageous “You have to have courage to be able to peel back the layers and really be able to focus on what makes your heart sing.”

Take It One Step At a Time

“You may not have the wherewithal right now to do much right now. You might be focused on paying the bills and so just start small, sit quietly for 5 minutes a day. Go outside and just look at the sky. Courage begets courage, and it will build upon itself.”

Take Time Out

“Take time for yourself in a stressfree and peaceful environment. You can’t figure out what really matters to you through all the daily chatter in our lives.”

Streater realized that ultimately he felt most connected and at his best when he was helping—or guiding— others to feel connected. However, the stress and pressure of his current financial situation meant that he had very little time to devote to pursuing this realization.

“I knew that I could not write a book or even explore this more unless I slept less,” said Streater. “I was going non-stop, 24-7. I thought to myself, where can I find just a little more time? I started to set my alarm a little earlier.”

For two and a half years, Streater woke up at 5 a.m. to walk and write.

“I began to feel more and more motivated,” said Streater. “As I was writing, the feeling I got was that time stood still. I was doing what I loved, and I began to feel good and crave that feeling even more.

For me writing is the outcome of my purpose: to help other people find their purpose. Doing that is what feels best to me.”

“The Gift of Courage,” was released last year, and Streater is currently working on his second book, “The Courage Compass: An Essential Guide to Finding Your Meaning and Pur pose.” The book has become somewhat of a template for a series of live events that Streater began producing last fall.

The “Evening of Empowerment” events feature appearances by people living courageous lives that lift up their communities. Each of the live event s are free, with suggested

Make Time to Do What You Enjoy

“Do things that make you happy.

Taekwondo, knitting, water skiing... whatever it is, just do it.”

“I was like a scientist trying to prove a theory. And I found case after case of courageous people making a difference.

The common thread is that each of these people know what their purpose is.

Some of them knew their purpose in life from a young age, and others had to discover it later.”

Photo by Timothy Park

minimal donation that goes to local nonprofits.

“I wanted to make these evenings as meaningful as possible,” said Streater. “They are an opportunity for the speakers to tell their stories and be saluted, and they are a way to bring pearls of wisdom to our community in an effort to lift our community. People leave knowing that they can also readily achieve this

sort of thing.”

By steadily remaining focused on embracing his own purpose in life, Streater has found balance in his life and rebuilt his financial foundation.

Today, when asked what he does for a living, Streater replies that he owns a real estate brokerage with a handful of high-net-worth clients.

“But my passion—what I do for my avocation—is to write about,

Serve Others

Find the Time

“Find a way to serve others whether that is through volunteering, being a teacher’s aide or through church. For most people, our purpose involves other people.

We are all so connected.”

“You have to figure out how to have more time in your day. Turn off the TV, set the alarm earlier, write in your journal over lunchtime instead of gossiping with your coworkers.

You need to have the time to focus on yourself and the retrospective process.”

illustrate and help teach people about realizing a meaningful life by determining their true purpose,” he said. “That is what brings happiness to my life.”

To learn more about Ken Streater and the “Evening of Empowerment” events, visit www.giftofcourage.com.

His book “The Gift of Courage” can be ordered through www.amazon.com.

Have Faith in Yourself

“Everybody knows what floats their boat. On a deeply spiritual level, we all know our purpose. We’ve maybe just been downplaying or repressing it. But it is in there. You have experienced joy at some point in your life and you can find it again.”

Ageless | 7

Ageless STAYING CONNECTED

Connecting from

AFAR

Seniors are connecting with friends and family via video chat.

by Gregg Morris, for The Bulletin Special Projects

8 | Ageless

“We use Facetime and Skype all the time to talk to our grandkids.

It helps us get over the fact that we can’t be there to watch them grow.”

It seems that extended families are more spread out than they’ve ever been before.

Whether it be for career, education or lifestyle, it’s not uncommon for grown kids, parents and grandparents to live hours — even states — apart.

Thank goodness for technology.

“We use Facetime and Skype all the time to talk to our grandkids,” said part-time Bend resident Constance Morris, who has grandkids in Bend and in California. “It helps us get over the fact that we can’t be there to watch them grow.”

Across the U.S., including right here in Central Oregon, families, including seniors, are turning to video chat applications to stay connected with family and friends.

And although there’s a lear ning cur ve, free access to many of these applications often takes less effort (a n d o f f e r s m o r e intimacy) than hunting and pecking your way through email.

“I love to be able to see what my granddaughter did today, instead of her telling me,” says Patricia Sanders, who

“Skypes” with her granddaughter who lives 1000 miles away. “I get to see her art projects, play show-and-tell, and watch her as she grows. It makes the distance seem less far.”

Skype is one of several video chat technologies generally available to computer users for free.

Others include Facetime, Google Video Chat and Facebook Video Calling, each offering similar features that make it relatively simple to connect with loved ones who live far away.

While video chatting, and the technology behind it, may seem a bit overwhelming to the beginner, getting comfortable with these applications takes just a little practice. And, you only need three things to make it work.

First, you need the hardware — the computer.

The computer needs to have a webcam, a microphone, and speakers or headphones.

The computer could take the shape of a desktop, a laptop, a tablet such as an iPad, or a smartphone.

The second thing required is a free video conferencing software program such as Apple iChat, Google Hangout, Microsoft Skype or Yahoo Messenger. While these applications may seem new or mysterious, they often provide access to easy-to-use video tutorials to help get you started.

Lastly, you’ll need an Internet connection of 1.5 MBS (mega-bites per second) speed or higher offered by your telephone or cable company. Our local broadband Internet provider, BendBroadband, operates at the necessary speed. Most smartphone providers also offer enough speed for video chatting.

If you and your family use Apple computer products, like the iPhone, iPad or a Macbook computer, the easiest way to video chat is through FaceTime. As long as you’re registered and aquired an AppleID, a

few clicks of the mouse or taps on the screen allows you to video chat with anyone with the same capabilities.

Another popular video chat program is Skype (www.Skype.com). Skype is a free program that allows its users to video conference with others who use Skype. Skype does require registration and the need to download their software, but it comes with a video tutorial to get you started.

You can even use Skype on some televisions.

Facebook now offers video chatting through Skype.

The search engine Google has entered the video chat world, as well. Their video, titled “Grandmother’s Guide to Video Chat,” walks users through the process of getting started with video chat. Google Chat, also free, requires the same steps as Skype, as well as a free email account through Gmail.

Besides connecting with family, seniors are beginning to unlock the social potential of video chatting. By using online video chat rooms, such as www.senior-chatroom.com, they are able to connect with friends, new and old, from all over the world. It allows you to participate in holiday events, play music, or even exercise in a group.

A new product, geared toward seniors, is the Claris Companion. Made with a bamboo case, the Claris Companion looks like a wooden version of a tablet. The Claris Companion is designed for elderly seniors with little to no computer experience. Focusing only on communication, the Claris Companion specializes in email, texting, and video chatting with family and caregivers.

As technology advances, so does the goal of making life easier. Each new product attempts to address the typical concerns seniors have, including protecting personal information, staying within their budget, and their own learning curve. However, after spending some time learning to use video chat, seniors are experiencing new things they never thought possible.

Being able to see her granddaughter, Blake, during FaceTime chats (left) helps Karen White bridge the distance between Bend and Boise, Idaho. Photo by Kari Mauser Ageless | 9

10 | Ageless

Two Crook County women have poured their hearts and resources into the KISS ME GOODNIGHT RESCUE RANCH, a shelter for feral dogs.

The ‘KISS DOGS’ of Crook County

by Kathy Oxborrow, for The Bulletin Special Projects | Photos by Kari Mauser

Ageless | 11

Speck patienty waits for Stuey Kiss while walking him around the fenced yard with a makeshift leash. The alpha male is one of only a few of the dogs that allow this type of contact with their caretakers.

To call Randa Speck and Susan Mackay passionate about the “Kiss Dogs” they care for at their sanctuary near Prineville is putting it mildly.

The Kiss Me Goodnight Rescue Ranch is home to 20 of more than 100 feral dogs rounded up by Crook County sheriff deputies in 2007.

Before the seizure, the dogs lived in deplorable conditions on a 70-acre Powell Butte ranch on Kissler Road, hence the name Kiss Dogs.

When the Humane Society of the Ochocos (HSO) was unable to find homes for some of the Kiss Dogs because they were blind, elderly or, in some cases, just too wild, Speck and Mackay vowed to create a place where the dogs could live out their lives in dignity, something not afforded them previously.

The pack star ted w ith one Kelpie, John (a.k.a., Best Kiss), who the two women call the patriarch of the family. John’s owners added Australian Shepherds, and over the years the dogs multiplied while their owners failed to care for them. The inbreeding created many offspring 12 | Ageless

born blind, deformed or suffering from other ailments.

Speck and Mackay were employed at the HSO when the dogs arrived and spent many hours with them earning their trust.

“We feel like they accepted us into their pack, and we were the only ones at the time that could do anything with them,” Mackay said.

The females were pregnant when they came to the shelter.

“Most of the babies died,” Speck said. “One of the babies had a big head and no limbs.”

In August 2012, after spending five years at the HSO, a no-kill shelter, the Kiss Dogs moved to their new home, built with donated materials, volunteer hours and a lot of love.

Susan Mackay

Randa Speck

The Kiss Me Goodnight Rescue Ranch sits on 10 acres owned by Mackay. The dogs that get along with each other are in groups of two to five and kept in fenced yards 50 by 100 feet. There is a larger space where all the dogs interact for short periods. If left together for extended periods of time, fighting among them would likely occur.

The dogs living at the sanctuary all have issues. Some have crooked legs, Mackay said, and some are going blind despite the fact they’re not that old.

Sp e ck a nd Mack ay t hu m b e d through a photo book of the dogs, telling stories about each.

“The only thing Twice Kiss wanted to do for the first couple of years is sit in her room with a stuffed squirrel,” Speck said, pointing to one of the photos. “She came out slowly, but we could never touch her.”

Twice Kiss has since passed on.

Turning the page, Speck pointed again.

“This is Blissful,” she said. “She was the second to the last to get

Want to Help?

If you’d like to help the Kiss Me Goodnight Rescue Ranch and the Humane Society of the Ochocos: • Donate dog biscuits, dog food, dog toys and pine shavings for the Kiss Dogs.

• Drop off cleaning supplies: Bleach, furniture polish, dish soap, laundry soap, paper towels and window cleaner. caught. She lived under the porch and took care of her mother.”

“These are the two blind girls,” Speck continued, pointing to another photo. “They follow each other around.”

“It’s literally the blind leading the blind,” Mackay added. “You’d think they’d pick someone who was sighted, but they didn’t.”

And the stories kept going: “This is Scooter. He bites.”

As we leafed through the pages and Mackay and Speck lovingly talked about the Kiss Dogs, it was clear that caring for the animals has become their life’s work.

“It’s unbelievable what they do for these dogs,” said Sharon Reichard, a volunteer at the Second Chance Thrift Store in Prineville. “Susan and Randa have given these dogs the quality of life they couldn’t have had locked in ones and twos in kennels.”

In November, Speck and Mackay opened the thrift store to help support

TM

the sanctuary and the HSO. Forty percent of the proceeds go to Speck and Mackay for managing the store, 45 percent to the HSO and 15 percent to the owner of the building.

F e r a l d o g s h ave c o m p l e t e l y different personalities and live much differently than domesticated dogs.

The Kiss Dogs get agitated if humans other than Speck and Mackay come to the sanctuar y, so visitors are discouraged.

“They really have the wild spirit,” said Mackay, “That’s what we really like about them.”

The population at the Kiss Me Goodnight Rescue Ranch is growing.

Two dogs that have been at the HSO for several years will be moving to the sanctuary.

The plight of the Kiss Dogs and the community support that arose to care for them will have a long-lasting impact as the Kiss Me Goodnight Rescue Ranch offers sanctuary to other abused and feral dogs.

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Ageless | 13

Ageless FINANCIAL ADVICE

Understanding Social Security LEARN THE VARIOUS OPTIONS AVAILABLE WHEN CONSIDERING YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS

by Cathy Mendell, for The Bulletin Special Projects Social Security is a topic on many people’s minds these days and many who are planning for retirement have questions about how and when they should begin taking Social Security benefits.

This article aims to answer some common questions about Social Security and educate you about the different options that may be available.

When Am I Entitled to My Social Security Benefits?

A s you k now, you c an st ar t claiming your retirement benefits as early as age 62, but the benefit amount you receive will be less than your full retirement benefit amount.

If you were born between 1943 and 1954, your full retirement age is 66 and you would receive just 75 percent if you started taking benefits at age 62.

You don’t have to claim your Social Security benefits at your full retirement age. In fact, delaying benefits will increase your monthly benefit by 8 percent each year plus cost of living adjustments until you become eligible for the maximum benefit at age 70.

Can I Continue Working and Still Claim Social Security?

You can continue working and still claim retirement benefits. If you are under your full retirement age, the SSA will deduct a portion of your benefits for every dollar that 14 | Ageless

you earn above an annual limit, $15,480 in 2014.

If you have reached your full retirement age, you can receive Social Security benefits with no limit on your earnings.

Social Security Benefits for Married Couples Married couples have a number of benefit strategies available to them.

For example, if you are the higher ear ner, you could opt to claim Social Security benefits at your full retirement age, but suspend actual

payments until age 70. This would enable your spouse to draw spousal benefits immediately while allowing your retirement benefits to keep rising in value.

For many couples, maximizing survivor benefits is one of their pr i m a r y c o n s id er at io n s w h en developing their retirement income s t r at e g y. B y d e fe r r i n g S o c i a l Security benefits, the higher earner can help ensure that the surviving spouse receives the largest possible survivor benefit if he or she dies first.

Survivor benefits are usually worth

100 percent of what the deceased spouse was entitled to collect at the time of death, including any credits for delaying benefits.

When Should I Start Taking Social Security Benefits?

This is a simple question without a simple answer since it entirely depends on you and your personal circumstances. Some people choose to take reduced benef it s early because they need the income.

Others hold off so that they can collect the maximum benefit for the rest of their lives and pass on a larger survivor’s benefit to their spouse.

There’s no perfect answer as to the right time to start taking your benefits and it’s very important to look at the big picture when making such an important decision.

Here are a couple of basic rules that may help your decision-making process: If possible, wait until your full retirement age (66 for most of our clients) to begin taking benefits.

Doing so opens up the most options and benefit strategies like “claim and suspend.”

Take into account all of your income strategies, including pensions, rentals, annuities and IRAs and investment accounts. The goal is to make the most of these resources in addition to the Social Security benefit strategy to ensure comfortable income for life.

If you’re counting on Social Security income immediately post-retirement, consider some options to “bridge” your income until age 70.

James Row DMD, PC DrRow.com

GOOD

A Difficult Decision K nowing when the best time is to begin taking Social Security benefits is difficult. It’s a complex decision with many important elements to consider; once you factor in spousal benefits, survivor’s benefits, and other strategies, there are more than 70,000 different scenarios by which you can take Social Security. Making the right decision can be worth thousands of dollars over the course of your retirement.

As financial representatives, it’s our goal to make complex situations simple to understand and help you make informed decisions about your retirement. We are experienced at helping clients navigate Social Security and educating them about how their Social Security benefits fit into their overall retirement income plan.

I f y o u h a ve a n y q u e s t i o n s a b o u t t h e infor mation we’ve presented or would like more information about your Social Security retirement benefits, please give us a call, we’re always happy to help.

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16 | Ageless

T THE POWER OF

T E A Photos by Kevin Prieto

by Annissa Anderson, for The Bulletin Special Projects Tea grew wild in its native China until it was discovered that the brewed leaves improved the taste of the water the Chinese boiled in order to prevent becoming ill. Since its cultivation began – about 4,000 years ago — tea has also been used to improve our health in other ways. Today, we enjoy a world of varieties of tea for both flavor and health benefits.

True Tea

Bulletin file photo

In Central Oregon, we enjoy a world of varieties of tea for both flavor and health benefits.

The five basic types of true tea — white, black, green, oolong and pu-erh — come from the Camellia sinensis plant. While many people have tasted only a couple of varieties, the flavors of different teas are worth delving into. From nutty to flowery and astringent to buttery and everywhere in between, teas offer a nearly infinite spectrum of aromas and flavors. These differences result from how they are grown, harvested and processed.

Though all types of true tea are available in the United States, the most commonly consumed are black and green teas. Black tea is made with leaves that have been fermented before being heated and dried.

It has the highest caffeine content and forms the basis for some wellknown teas like Darjeeling, English Breakfast and Lapsang Souchong.

Green tea, with a lesser but still considerable amount of caffeine, is produced from leaves that are steamed and dried but not fermented.

Ageless | 17

Much research on these two types has confirmed that both black and green teas increase the body’s antioxidant activity up to about 45 percent. With regular consumption — several cups a day — these unique antioxidants, called flavonoids, can help to prevent certain cancers, reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes, encourage weight loss, lower cholesterol, and increase mental alertness.

Since consistent consumption is the key to maximizing tea’s health properties, Lori Brizee, MS, RD, LD with Central Oregon Nutrition Consultants, advises choosing a decaffeinated

tea for drinking throughout the day.

“I highly recommend a decaffeinated version of the tea you like,” said Brizee. “In winter, it’s a great way to get more fluid without any added calories or caffeine.”

Herbal Tea Herbal teas, or tisanes, are prepared like true tea but contain no true tea leaves. Instead, herbal teas come from the flowers, berries, peels, seeds, leaves, and roots of many different plants. These teas, though mostly possessing lower concentrations of antioxidants, have a

myriad of other health benefits, depending on the herbs they contain. Herbal teas are also naturally decaffeinated.

Many herbal teas, if used properly, can be natural healing agents to combat existing health problems as well as for preventative care.

Drinking herbal teas with properties known to improve certain health conditions is a great way to take an active role in your health, said Dr. Laurie Grisez, N.D. with Blue Star Naturopathic Clinic in Bend. Dr. Grisez prescribes herbal teas — in addition to other treatment — to provide immune support, digestive and circulative aid,

“I highly recommend a decaffeinated version of the tea you like.

In winter, it’s a great way to get more fluid without any added calories or caffeine.”

— Becky Brizee, Central Oregon Nutrition Consultants Photo by Kari Mauser

18 | Ageless

and bone support, among others.

For overall immune support and prevention, Dr. Grisez suggests teas made from rose hips — a rich source of vitamin C — or elderberry, a good source of vitamins A and C. To help digestion, Dr. Grisez recommends teas made from ginger, fennel and chamomile.

“Warming and stimulating, ginger stimulates your own body’s digestive enzymes,” said Dr. Grisez.

These same properties also make ginger an excellent herb for helping to increase circulation, she said.

For osteoporosis or other bone suppor t issues, Dr. Gr isez recommends tea made from nutrientrich herbs like horsetail — a major source of silica, which encourages the absorption and use of calcium by the body — as well as nettles, dandelion, raspberry and oat straw.

Many of these nutrient-rich herbs are found in other herbal tea blends as well.

Photos by Kevin Prieto

“There is a lot of overlap with medicinal herbs. You can improve several health factors with one tea,” said Dr. Grisez.

However, she said, it is important to consult your M.D. or naturopathic physician before beginning regular consumption of medicinal tea. This applies especially to those with chronic health conditions or anyone taking other medications, as herb and drug interactions exist.

Brewing Tea The majority of Americans brew tea the same way, by plunking a tea bag or ball of loose tea leaves into a cup or pot of boiled water and

steeping just until the temperature lowers to the point where their lips will not burn upon touching the liquid. But tea aficionados know that brewing tea correctly is dependent on the variety of tea itself.

When brewing black teas, it is good to know that the tea leaves are fully oxidized (they are bruised to give them more exposure to air), making for assertive flavors and aromas. For this reason, black teas need only steep in near-boiling water for two to four minutes. Green and white teas need less time to steep — just one to two minutes — in slightly cooler (just steaming) water. Oolong teas have specific requirements based on

the variety; best to buy oolongs that come with brewing instructions.

Most packaged herbal teas — made from flowers and leaves — can be steeped (infused) like true teas, but require a longer steeping time, up to 10 to 15 minutes. But some herbal teas, made from harder plant parts such as barks, roots and seeds, require a decoction, which takes more time and heat for extracting the plant constituents. A decoction requires simmering the plant part for 15 to 25 minutes in a covered pan after the water comes to a boil. The decocted tea is then steeped for an additional ten minutes before being strained and ready to drink.

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Ageless | 19

Ageless HEALTH CARE TRENDS Electronic medical records offer physicians a chance to better record and communicate with one another.

Crossing the DIGITAL DIVIDE

by Jeff McDonald , for The Bulletin Special Projects

The last 10 to 15 years have brought a dramatic shift in the way we interact with our doctors. Gone are many of the paper charts, replaced by wires, keyboards and a digital divide.

As much as the rest of society has become more technologically driven, so have doctors’ offices.

20 | Ageless

In just the last decade or so, the percentage of doctors using Electronic Medical Records (EMR) has shot up from the low teens to nearly 80 percent, according to a survey by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.

Additionally, patient por tals are becoming an important part of EMR, allowing patients to access their records, set up appointments and communicate with their doctors.

Adapting to the new technologies is a challenge for both patients and doctors alike, said Tannus Quatre, founder and consultant of Vantage Clinical Solutions, a health care consulting firm in Bend that provides EMR services to clients in Central Oregon and across the country.

According to Quatre, while the technology has the potential to reduce eye contact between provider and patient, a change that may be more

dramatic for seniors accustomed to one-on-one attention from their doc tors, t he potent ia l benef it s outshine this concern.

“It used to be the patient could come in and talk with the doctor at length,” Quatre said. “Now, in addition to increased demands on their time, doctors have the added responsibility of real-time electronic data entry, further competing for face time with patients. But while you may feel you’re getting less face time, EMR actually makes it possible for physicians to communicate better and provide better service.”

The challenges brought by these technologies are plentiful, particularly for seniors who remember the doctorpatient relationship being more of a one-way street, said Dr. Sean Rogers, a specialist in internal medicine and medical director at Bend Memorial Clinic in Bend.

“The whole culture of medicine is shifting,” Rogers said. “Doctors are more sensitive to the needs of the patient and the patient’s experience.

EMR is part of a major shift in how health care is being delivered.”

For older generations, patient portals is a shift in mindset, Rogers said, with both the doctor and patient participating in shared decisionmaking regarding the patient’s health.

“There is a common myth out there that seniors as a group are not very tech savvy, but there’s a significant subset who are really interested in technology and the public portal,” he said. “They sometimes ask me, ‘How do I access this thing?’ It’s a real boon for people to have this kind of access to their information.”

The benefits of EMR are numerous, starting with information stored leg ibly t hat c a n not be lost or destroyed by mistake, Rogers said.

Additionally, system alerts will tell the doctor when medications are in conflict or a patient is due for lab work or a specific test, he said.

“From a provider’s standpoint, you can pull quality information from EMR,” Rogers said. “The system quickly identifies all the patients who are diabetic or patients whose lab work is out of range. There are many cool things you can do that are not available with a paper record.”

If a doctor is on call, he or she can pull up a patient’s record from a home computer. If a patient is travelling or needs information, greater efficiency can be critical, he said.

Employees of the clinic, if they have a patient care roll or if they are involved in billing, may be able to access the information remotely, but the site is password protected with a combination of security measures that includes a two-stage login

Ageless | 21

“The whole culture of medicine is shifting. Doctors are more sensitive to the needs of the patient and the patient’s experience. EMR is part of a major shift in how health care is being delivered.” process that is similar to a banking website, he said.

“Laptops and mobile devices are encrypted,” he said. “If they are lost or stolen, they turn into paperweights.”

Safety and security, then, becomes an obvious concern for patients who worry about who may have access to their personal information, said Dr. Mar y Dallas, chief medical information officer at St. Charles Medical Center.

Patients in general want to be more aware of how doctors are using the information that is put into the digital system, Dallas said.

She advised anyone when they see the doctor to read carefully the Notice of Privacy Act statement that explains

how the doctor will use their private information.

“It i s i mpor t a nt to a sk you r doctor about it,” she said. “Will they share your information with other providers?”

Patients who feel uncomfortable with information sharing may choose to opt out, Dallas said.

“You should get involved in that process and direct your own care,” she said. “Patient s need to get

involved in the process.”

St. Charles, which has been working with EMR for more than a decade, will launch its patient portal in April, Dallas said. Patients will be able to view their lab tests, communicate with their doctor and review their vital health care-related information, she said.

“A lot of people don’t realize that general email is not secure and private,” she said. “The patient portal will have a secure web connection.

Secure messaging is part of it.”

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Physical therapist Craig Boswell (left) with TAI Physical Therapy at The Athletic Club of Bend, helps his patient, Augusto Montefreddi, perform exercises in the pool.

Submersed in

AQUATIC THERAPY Some patients gain better healing and confidence in movement through aquatic physical therapy.

by Bridget McGinn, for The Bulletin Special Projects Photos by Kari Mauser Dick Anderson put off his back surgery for three years, waiting until he was retired before ending several years of pain and curtailed activities.

“I just did what I could do to get along,” said Anderson. “But after I retired, I wanted to do a lot of things with my family and grandkids—hiking, fishing, camping. I’m a golfer, but I haven’t golfed for four or five years because of my back.”

Following surgery in December, Anderson’s physician prescribed phy sic a l t her apy, a nd he wa s determined to follow his doctor’s orders to the letter.

“My doctor told me that if I do everything he tells me to do, I will be hiking this summer,” said Anderson.

“I just made up my mind that I’m going to do these things. I’ve got a lot of friends who didn’t do their therapy after surgery and they haven’t had such great recoveries.”

His determination hit somewhat of a block, however, when his physical

therapist, Brock Monger, DPT, ATC, CSCS of Apex Physical Therapy in Madras, recommended including aquatic therapy in his recovery process.

“I was really reluctant to try it,” said Anderson. “I was thinking that it would be cold, dirty and wet.”

Apex has an agreement with the Madras Aquatic Center that allows them to use the warm leisure pool at the complex for one-on-one aquatic therapy sessions with clients. Anderson had been to MAC for Chamber of Commerce and Rotary meetings and had supported the facility, but never

thought he would personally use it.

“I finally told Brock I would try it and it was great,” said Anderson. “MAC is absolutely gorgeous, dry, clean and bright, and the process is really a lot easier on my body than doing exercises on the floor.”

That is exactly the point, said Monger.

“When movement hurts, it can take awhile for people to gain confidence about what they can actually do,” said Monger. “The pressure and warmth from the water helps to decrease pain and can make movement easier and Ageless | 23

George Crown (above-left), a physical therapy aide with Falling Waters Injury & Health Management in Bend, demonstrates aqua-therapy exercises with Dan Corpstein, also a physical therapy aide at Falling Waters.

Falling Waters Injury & Health Management, Bend

“When movement hurts, it can take awhile for people to gain confidence about what they can actually do. The pressure and warmth from the water helps to decrease pain and can make movement easier and increase range of motion.”

increase range of motion.”

The different properties of water make it an ideal therapy option for many patients, said Craig Boswell, PT, CSCS of Therapeutic Associates at the Athletic Club of Bend.

Water’s buoyancy, turbulence and hydrostatic pressure all contribute

24 | Ageless

—Brock Monger, PT, Apex Physical Therapy to creating an environment that reduces pain and can increase the speed of the recovery process.

“Quite frequently, I might see someone in the clinic that I think could benefit from aquatic therapy,” said Boswell. “They may be having a hard time tolerating land-based

exercise, and aquatic therapy can help with that transition. The warmth and buoyancy of water helps to diminish pain levels and make it easier to stretch muscles out and move.”

Aquatic therapy can be beneficial to patients of all ages and can help

people address issues such as pain in the hips, knees and back due to arthritis, joint replacement surgery or other ailments. People who have balance issues or generalized weakness related to aging or who are recovering from a stroke can also benefit from aquatic therapy.

“One of the reasons why I love aquatic therapy is that it is a very versatile modality,” said Shawndi Stahl, PT, MPT, NCS and director of physical therapy at Falling Waters Injury and Health Management Center in Bend. “It is good for people who have difficulty doing land-based exercises because of arthritic conditions, and it is also good for high-level athletes with over-use injuries.”

Aquatic therapy can be used to help people recovering from surgery or injuries make the gradual transition back to land-based activities and can also be used to help very deconditioned people to be more mobile and increase their conditioning.

“The pool can be a strategy we use to get someone conditioned enough so that they can be outside of the pool walking three times a week for 20 minutes to increase their bone density,” said Monger. “Water therapy alone doesn’t provide enough weight bearing for true bone density exercise but it can build strength and endurance to make walking on land easier.”

Many patients have never heard of aquatic therapy and are somewhat resistant to the idea at first. They may be worried about difficulties getting in and out of the water, being seen in public in a swimsuit, or perhaps have had a negative experience with water in the past.

“People might be modest or even afraid,” said Stahl. “But all of those things can be overcome.”

Pools used for therapy have stairs with railings, ramps and sometimes even lifts for easy access. Attire can be a simple as workout shorts and a T-shirt.

The therapist works one on one with their client and is right there in the water with them. Equipment such as buoyancy belts, noodles and kickboards can also be used to provide extra stability in the water.

“It is important to have a good rapport with your health care provider,” said Monger. “I have found that when my clients see that I am willing to put on a suit and get in the water with them and try this together, we can have some great success stories.”

“Ultimately, the goal is to help people return to their normal, everyday activities,” said Boswell. “That might include marathoning, or it might be walking to the mailbox.”

For A nderson, it means t he possibility of golfing again for the first time in years. It also means enjoying outdoor activities with his family.

After his initial reluctance, he has fully embraced his aquatic therapy and even recruited a good friend suffering from back issues to join him in the water. The pair now exercise in the water together several times a week.

“I had a lot of reservations about aquatic therapy at first,” said Anderson.

“But the pool is very, very good and I’ve built up my legs, back and stomach, and that is all from doing what my therapist tells me to do.”

Ageless | 25

Ageless MEDICARE ADVICE

Medicare’s Medication Call

THE MOST COMMON QUESTION THIS TIME OF YEAR IS REGARDING PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS.

by Cynthia Hylton, SHIBA Program Field Officer The Oregon SHIBA program has a toll free 800 number (800-722-4134) where 26,000-plus calls are received each year. Entering you ZIP code immediately routes your call to the local SHIBA organization in your area. Otherwise, 8,000-plus of the calls go to the Salem office.

There are only four staff persons in Salem to answer those 8,000-plus calls. As a result, we begin to get a good feel for the latest, most pressing issues concerning Medicare health insurance.

The most common calls we receive about Medicare in January, February and March are about prescription cost.

In the fall we went through the enrollment period for people to change drug plans or Medicare Advantage plans. As of January 1, the plan you chose (or the plan that you stayed in because you did not choose to change) is now effective.

The people who are calling us now are the ones who did not change and did not do a benefits checkup.

If you have had the need to go to the phar macy to ref ill your prescriptions sometime this year, you may have been surprised, shocked or dismayed to discover that your generic medications that were a $5 copay in 2013 have jumped to a $15 copay in 2014.

Part D insurance plans can change cost, formulary lists and tiers every year. Medications can go from Tier 1 preferred generic to Tier 2 nonpreferred generic, or even drop off 26 | Ageless

the list entirely.

February is not the time to discover changes in the plan in which you are enrolled. We run plan comparisons for benef iciar ies ever y Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), Oct 15 to Dec 7 each year. Each year people seem so surprised to find out how much their drug plan is changing.

Don’t get complacent thinking it was a good plan this year so I’ll just let it roll over into next year. You may end up being one of the callers asking what happened.

Part D insurance plans are a one year contract. Under Medicare rules, you are not allowed to change during the calendar year except under special circumstances. I’ll talk about some of those circumstances later in the article.

Not paying the premium because you are upset at the changes is not an effective strategy since the plans are allowed to collect for nonpayment and they do.

If you are enrolled in a Medicare Part D insurance plan, mark your calendar sometime during Oct 15 to Dec 7 to do a plan benefits check-up. You can do it yourself by going to Medicare.gov and clicking on the yellow “Find Health & Drug Plans” link.

Once your drug list is entered, 30 or so stand-alone drug plans will arrange themselves in order of the least out-of-pocket cost to you at the top of the list. Or, you can choose to see health and drug plans. Aren’t computers amazing?

If you are challenged by computers,

If you have had the need to go to the pharmacy to refill your prescriptions sometime this year, you may have been surprised, shocked or dismayed to discover that your generic medications that were a $5 copay in 2013 have jumped to a $15 copay in 2014. don’t have one or want assistance from someone with experience, call 800-722-4134 and a SHIBA counselor can help you.

We also can give you more information that you might not discover about the plans’ benefits by looking behind the front pages.

If you are struggling to pay for your medications, there may be resources to help you with the costs.

Extra Help is part of the Medicare prescription coverage legislation. It was designed to provide accessibility for those with limited incomes to be able to purchase a Part D plan and keep copays at a minimum.

Once qualified and receiving a subsidy, you may

change your drug coverage or Medicare Advantage insurance at any time during the year. You are not constrained by the fall AEP timeline and year-long contract. Anyone determined eligible for Extra Help does not have a penalty for late enrollment into a Part D plan.

So if you didn’t enroll because you didn’t take any medications or couldn’t afford to pay for a drug plan and now you need a plan, qualifying for Extra Help would eliminate any penalty and allow enrollment as soon as you receive your award letter.

Call Medicare Savings Connect, 855-447-0515. a toll free number for easy over the phone online application assistance.

Cynthia Hylton has more than 25 years of volunteer program development and training experience.

She has been working with the SHIBA program since 1990 as a local county program coordinator.

Cynthia started working with the statewide program as a Field Training Officer in 2005. This position required an extensive background working with the senior community and training an effective volunteer network. SHIBA now has 250 volunteer Medicare counselors throughout the state. The SHIBA program received the 2007 Governor’s Award for Most Outstanding Statewide Volunteer Program.

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28 | Ageless

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Trail of

DREAMS

by John Cal, for The Bulletin Special Projects, Photos by Kari Mauser

As both a father and a dog sledder, Jerry Scdoris has always followed his passions.

He and his team have given tours to nearly 40,000 people on the trails around Mt. Bachelor. He’s responsible for training a world-class athlete and has been in the business since 1977. But what makes Jerry Scdoris so relevant and a crucial force here in Central Oregon is not what he’s done, but what he’s doing.

If you’ve ever been to the Sunrise Lodge parking lot at Mount Bachelor, you’ve heard him — I’m sure of it — or at least heard the clamor of his team as they get ready for another fun day of work up on the mountain.

Ageless | 29

He loves his dogs.

He loves his life. He runs his business, Oregon Trail of Dreams, with his daughter and her husband, Nick.

Jerry gives Mia a reassuring squeeze after a successful training run with a two-dog sled team on the trails of Mount Bachelor.

30 | Ageless

“C’mon, drink up,” Jerry prods as he walks up and down the line, his trained athletes rearing to go. “The most important thing they do is drink, especially on a warm day like this.”

“They just get so excited to be out there that they forget and then get fatigued,” said Mia Vaccaro, an assistant who gives each trainee some water. “We mix in a little meat so that they don’t forget to drink.”

And they love it. They erupt in a chorus of appreciative barking, down their meat-flavored water as quickly as possible, and wait anxiously for their turn on the trails -- just another day in the life of a champion dog sledder.

It’s been a lifetime to get here, to grow his business to what it is today, to be able to keep up the stamina it takes to live your life out on the trails and to manage his kennel of 100plus dogs. But like so many realized dreams, the place where it all began was in the imagination of a child.

“As a kid, I read Jack London and Robert Service,” said Jerry. “I was a reader, and [I] read everything I could about the Northwest, everything I could get my hands on.”

He grew fascinated by the world of

the Athabascan Indians and the Yupik Eskimos. Then when, in his 20s, he was taken up by the draft, his world changed in more ways than one.

“There were Athabascans and Eskimos in my basic training, and all of a sudden the stories became very real,” he said.

“They brought all those stories I read to life,” he added. “It made it so it wasn’t just something I was fantasizing about, but made it so it was something that I could actually do.”

And so years later, when living on Gold Beach, Calif., with some help from a friend in North Bend on the southern Oregon Coast, Jerry purchased his first eight sled dogs.

“I ran them up and down the beach every chance I got,” he said, pointing out that it’s actually typical for sled dogs to train on un-snowed ground.

Then in 1977, he brought his dogs up to compete in the Sisters’ Sled Dog Race.

“It was so beautiful, and I knew I wanted to live up here in the snow,” he said.

But in 1977, dogsledding remained a hobby, something he passionately did on weekends.

“When I first moved here, I found work at J Bar J Boys Ranch, not dog sledding,” Scdoris said. “I did everything from classroom teaching to case supervision to counseling.

I always did sled dogs on the side recreationally with the goal of being a full-time sled dog person, but back then it was just a few people every weekend, when people would hear about me word of mouth.”

Then in 1985, his world changed again with the birth of his daughter, Rachael.

“When she was born, that became my focus. She became my world,” he said.

Rachael is legally blind, but that didn’t keep Jerry from immersing her into his world early in her life.

“She came with me out on the trails, and she just fell in love with the dogs, too,” he said.

As his daughter grew, so did his business, and Jerry became a full-time dog sledder in 1992.

“People just believed in me and what I was trying to do. They invested in me, and I invested my dogs and my expertise and time,” he said.

Jerry’s presence in the dog sledding world was beginning to be felt nationally, and with friends like Libby Riddles, who in 1985 was the first woman to win the Iditarod -- worldrenowned sled dog race, and Susan Butcher, who won the race three consecutive years in a row from 1986 to 1988, he wasn’t the only one who was now influencing his daughter to appreciate the sport.

“They would visit the house, and [Rachael] would just be in awe of them,” he said.

Years later, Rachael would go on to be the first legally blind person to finish the Iditarod.

“I don’t remember ever ‘getting her to love it.’ She just did,” Scdoris said.

“It was just something she wanted to do.”

And meeting Jerry, you will quickly see why. He loves what he does. He loves his dogs. He loves his life. He runs his business, Oregon Trail of Dreams, with his daughter and her husband, Nick. Fellow dogsledder, Dave, has been with him since 1993, and of course Mia’s on the team, gleefully assisting Jerry.

On a third-grade field trip with the rest of Ms. Harrell’s class at Eastmont Community School, she fell in love with the sled dogs.

“I feed and water and hook and unhook dogs and load them when it’s time to go,” she said.

Mia has just started sledding by herself, learning all there is to know

To help her get used to controlling the dogsled, Jerry pulls Mia around by snowmobile, stopping to offer tips and instructions along the way.

by spending time training on the trails with Jerry. From being pulled behind a snowmobile on a dogsled, to driving a two-dog team of Jerry’s runners on her own, the 10-year-old’s enthusiasm for the sport is evident in her endless grin.

“Jer r y is awesome,” Mia said, adding that she hopes to race in the Iditarod herself someday.

“No, you’re awesome,” Jerry replied.

Jerry has a few kids he trains and is aiming to start up a nonprofit to continue the work of introducing kids to dog sledding.

“I’ve been extremely lucky,” Jerry said. “I don’t want to stop and sit on a beach or take a stroke off my golf game. I just want to keep going at what I’m doing, stay active ... I have

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no exit strategy. I’m going to keep doing this till I can’t stay vertical on the sled anymore.”

And why would he stop? It’s everything he enjoys -- the ride, the

drive, the life, the relationship with the dogs, and mentoring the next generation into greatness.

“It’s not something I do,” he said.

“It’s the way I live.”

Life Lives Better At Aspen Ridge!

“Sweet Obsession” Thursday March 20th at 2:30 RN and nutritional therapy practitioner, Linda Brandt joins Randy Johnson, MA, MAC life coach and behavior change counselor for this talk on sugar. This presentation will cover a little history, how sugar can be found everywhere, the effect it has on our body and brain, and how we can create healthier options. There will be no promoting of special diets, but there will be delicious information and tasty morsels of hope for some healthier eating habits.

“Modern Musical Styles: The Film Score” Thursday March 27th at 2:30 In this lecture on modern musical styles, Nathan Long returns to cover a very influential category of music which includes all other categories. That is the film score. From the first films scores by Ralph Vaughan Williams to modern works by Hans Zimmerman, we’ll explore the hybrid of audial and visual entertainment which we are so familiar with today and how composition styles have influenced and been influences by the cinema.

“Luminist art in American and the West” Thursday April 17th at 2:30 Please join Inti Duran as he walks us through the Luminist art style. From its origins at the Hudson River School painters, Pre American Civil War, to it’s expansion to the West after the Civil War, luminist paintings tell the story of American, and the first pioneers that travel across the country to conquer the American West.

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aspenridgeretirement.com Ageless | 31

Ageless LEGAL ADVICE

Why a Revocable Living Trust?

SHOULD YOU HAVE A REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST? YES, AND HERE’S WHY:

by Melissa Lande, for The Bulletin Special Projects

As an estate planning and elder law attorney, I am often asked if having a revocable living trust is a recommended estate planning option. With the increasing expense of probate and the overuse of the court system, I often advise people that a revocable living trust has become more necessary than it used to be.

There a re ma ny benef it s to holding your assets in a revocable living trust.

Providing for You if You Become Incompetent If you have a trust, your trustee will act in your best interest to make sure that you are provided for dur ing your lifetime if you are unable to make decisions for yourself.

Avoiding Probate You will generally not need to

file a probate proceeding in Court if you have a trust in place. This can be especially benef icial if you own real property in multiple states, which would require that probates are filed in multiple states at your death. Additionally, probate requires that you pay court filing fees and newspaper publication fees which can be costly.

Dr. Celso Gangan

A tr ustee can distr ibute the assets to your beneficiaries at the trustee’s discretion. This can be important if your beneficiaries are minors or have substance abuse or other problems or simply are not responsible with their finances.

Having a trust is a way to have someone else manage assets for you or your benef iciar y if you or your beneficiary is unable to manage the assets on their own.

This is particularly important if you become incompetent or have beneficiaries who are minors or disabled.

Selecting Your Beneficiaries A trust allows you to designate your beneficiaries. If you do not have a trust or a will, your assets will pass to your next of kin in the manner prescribed by state law. For example, you may not have a good relationship w ith your daughter but she will inherit from you at your death unless you designate otherwise. Also people

Holding Assets Having a tr ust allows you to hold the majority of your assets in the trust which can make the

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often are not aware that if they are remarried but have children from a prev iou s mar r iage, in O re g o n, t h o s e c h i l d re n w i l l receive one-half of the deceased spouse’s estate and the current spouse will receive the other half of the estate.

Using Both Spouses’ Exemptions Having a trust will allow you to ma x i m ize you r est ate t a x savings by using both spouses’ exemptions at death. In Oregon the current estate tax exemption is $1 million and the federal estate tax exemption is $5,340,000. With proper planning, you can double the exemption amounts and avoid paying unnecessary estate tax.

Privacy

beneficiary otherwise qualifies.

If you have to open a probate, your distr ibutions and asset s are public record which anyone can review. Generally, trusts are kept private so no one except t he benef iciar ies is aware of the distr ibutions. This can be important if your beneficiary is inheriting a large sum of money and you do not want others to be aware of that inheritance.

Protecting Assets

Preserving Disability Benefits Wit h in a tr u st you c an set up a special needs trust which allows your beneficiary to receive a ssist a nce f rom you r t r u stee w it h o u t lo s i ng a ny s t at e o r federal assistance for which that

Although a revocable liv ing trust does not usually protect the trustor or creator of the trust from creditors, assets held in the trust after the trustor’s death can be protected for your beneficiaries from creditors or claims by a spouse in the event of divorce.

Contingent Beneficiaries Setting up a trust allows you to not only name beneficiaries t o i n h e r it at yo u r d e at h, it also allows you to desig nate contingent beneficiaries in case your beneficiaries do not survive you. The contingent beneficiaries can be people or charities.

Melissa P. Lande is a partner at Bryant, Lovlien and Jarvis in Bend. She focuses her practice on assisting her clients with estate planning, elder law, wills, trusts, probate, asset protection, guardianships and conservatorships.

Melissa is a graduate of New York University and Washington and Lee University School of Law in Virginia. She is a member of the Oregon State Bar Estate Planning and Elder Law Sections.

She and her husband, Mark, have a son, Griffin, and a daughter, Lila. Contact Melissa at 541 382-4331 or lande@ bljlawyers.com.

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by Linda Orcelletto, for The Bulletin Special Projects

SPECIALIZING IN

Veterans’

FINAL JOURNEY

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Hospice of Redmond is recognized t h roug hout C ent r a l O regon fo r offering compassionate end-of-life care for anyone who requests it. Yet, not well-known are services offered by a trained team of social workers, counselors and a veterans advocate to provide services particular to veterans during their final journey.

According to Ernie Taffalla, veterans’ advocate and chaplain at Hospice of Redmond, the services have always been offered, but the organization has made a concerted effort in the past year to raise awareness among

“Many veterans have seen or experienced too much during their time of service.

We are especially sensitive to their specific needs to be able to bring comfort and dignity to veterans during their final time on Earth.”

Photos by Kevin Prieto

veterans and their families about this specialized care. It is essential, they say, to earn the trust of veterans.

“It’s difficult to explain how much military and civilian life are so different,” said Taffalla, a former Marine who served during the Vietnam era. “But somehow, there is an immediate bonding between those who served. Veterans share personal stories with me without fear of judgment. They may not feel comfortable talking with a civilian because they didn’t experience the same thing.”

Taffalla said a misconception some veterans may have of using hospice services is the loss of benef its. In fact, Hospice of Redmond is available to advocate for services veterans may not know they are entitled to through the Veteran’s Administration.

If a person qualifies, benefits can include being allowed a permanent resting place in military cemeteries, general burial services, headstones and markers, or even full honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C. In addition to advocating for veterans’ benefits, Hospice offers medical care that includes pain management as well as addressing the spiritual and emotional needs of the patient. Spiritual support may be even more important for veterans who don’t have a support system of family and friends.

Care is provided in multiple settings including inhome support, nursing homes, hospitals and longterm care facilities. Hospice also offers licensed therapists, aids and bereavement counseling for the family.

“We use a team approach at Hospice,” says Tori McCanna, transitions coordinator. “The patient

only has to relate any experience once, eliminating reliving any stressful or upsetting memories too many times. Knowing their stories allows us to better offer support.”

The team at Hospice is specifically trained to notice the signs and address them with extra sensitivity for both the patient and their loved ones.

Veterans who witnessed combat may have already faced their own mortality once; as those fears and the anxiety associated with them surface again, the end-of-life transition can be more painful, both physically and mentally.

Those who have gone through trauma or have post-traumatic stress disorder (P TSD) might experience a phase called terminal agitation. The person dying may become belligerent, aggressive or unsettled. This behavior may be significantly d if ferent t han h is/her c u r rent personalit y, confusing and alarming family members. Some patients cannot sleep or eat for days.

“Many veterans have seen or experienced too much during their time of service,” said Taffalla.

“We are especially sensitive to their specific needs to be able to bring comfort and dignity to veterans during their final time on Earth.”

Hospice also has a Veteran’s Wall and Garden on site to honor veterans, both living and dead.

A semi-circular concrete wall which has room for 1,000 names etched on granite plaques bears inscriptions that give each veteran’s name, years of service and branch of service. Hospice requests a $20 donation for the cost of etching. All other Hospice services are available at no charge.

Amy Foster-Wexler, a social worker with Hospice, sums up the reason the organization is so dedicated to serving veterans.

“We want all veterans to know they made a valuable sacrifice for our country,” she said. “They are honored and welcomed here.”

For more infor mation, contact Hospice of Redmond at 541-548-7483 or stop at the office, 732 SW 23rd Street. If a veteran or family member isn’t ready for hospice care, visit www.wehonorveterans. org, which gives information about possible end of life benefits from the Veteran’s Administration.

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COCOA NEWS CENTRAL OREGON COUNCIL ON AGING:

Introducing New Leaders The Central Oregon Council on Aging (COCOA) recently announced the appointment of a new executive director and the hiring of a fund developer/grand manager and community relations manager.

There’s a new leader is at the helm of the Central Oregon Council on Aging (COCOA).

Matt Verdieck of Bend joined the organization in 2013.

C O C OA i s a n o n p r o f i t organization and Central Oregon’s designated Area Agency for Aging (AAA). Its mission is to promote dignity, well-being, security and independence for Central Oregon seniors and disabled adults. COCOA helps to prevent hunger, improve health, promote independence, and enhance the dignity and well-being of vulnerable seniors throughout the tri-counties.

A s exec ut ive d i rec tor of CO CA, Mat t w i l l pi lot t he organization toward a future filled with possibilities as well as challenges, a seat within which he’s most comfortable.

After all, Matt is a pilot with an extensive aviation background both professionally and as a volunteer.

Matt’s volunteer experience includes work for: • Lighthawk, an organization that supports environmental causes through a network of 36 | Ageless

volunteer pilots in North and Central America; • Angel Flight, a program that provides free transportation of patients and family members by volunteer pilots; and • Flight Across America, for which he was Oregon State Flag Bearer, one of 50 U.S. pilots selected to fly their state flag to New York City as part of the September 11, 2002 memorial services.

Matt’s professional management ex per ience in aviation includes work at: • X-Air, LLC, a North American start-up manufacturer of light sport aircraft; • RDD Enterprises, a start-up aviation research, design, and development group providing major systems and components for the experimental aircraft market; and • Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing, a composite a i rc r a f t ma nu fac t u rer t hat desig ned and built general aviation aircraft.

So how does a pilot end up leading a nonprofit organization focused on aging in Central

Oregon? It turns out that Matt’s ex per ience in organization development, budget, operations processes and team building, coupled with his strong desire to improve and maintain the quality of life for our aging population, was a perfect fit with the mission of COCOA. I n h i s ro le a s C O C OA’s executive officer, Matt leads a staff that is passionate about f u l f i l l i ng t he m i s s ion a nd goals of COCOA. Passion is essential to sustaining COCOA’s programs, but passion alone is not enough.

Even the most basic of services require funding. COCOA relies on grants and sponsorships to not only continue its important programs, but also to expand them in order to meet increasing need.

Securing funding for program expansion in these economic times can be a daunting task, but two new COCOA staff members are meeting that challenge head on.

Laurie Hoyle is the new fund development and grant manager for COCOA focusing on strategic

development of fou ndation grants, corporate contributions, and individual gifts.

Laurie most recently served as the executive director of Student Affairs Grants and Development at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). There, she successfully secured grants and gifts totaling approximately $1 million annually from private fou ndation s, gover n ment agencies and individual donors to fund a variety of programs and capital projects in UCSB’s Division of Student Affairs.

She consulted with managers across the division -- in areas rang ing f rom f inancial aid and scholarships to alcohol abuse prevention to increased energy efficiency for student affairs buildings -- to develop robust grant and development capabilities. Laurie, recently ar r ived in Bend, is g reatly enjoy ing the area’s natural e nv i r o n m e nt a n d o u t d o o r recreation, it s engaged community, and its seasons.

Jean McPherson is the new grants, community relations and contract specialist. Jean joins

Laurie in the pursuit of grants part of the time. The balance of her time is serving as the council’s marketing representative in the areas of community, public, and media relations, as well as contract compliance.

Jean has many years’ experience in marketing and contract compliance, professionally in both small and large corporate businesses, as well as in her volunteer work with non-profit organizations. She is an Oregon State University graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis in marketing.

Currently, she is pursuing her Master’s d e g re e t h ro u g h E a s t e r n O re g o n University, focusing on marketing and finance. In her volunteer role, Jean serves as the marketing director, Miss NPRA Coordinator, and co-producer

of the NPRA Finals for the Northwest Professional Rodeo Association.

COCOA is responsible for providing services to meet the needs of senior citizens in the Central Oregon’s tricounty area, providing a variety of services designed to help keep seniors living independently and in their own homes for as long as possible. Services include Meals-on-Wheels, congregate meals, Medicare counseling, Case Management/ Monitoring, information and refer ral, education, caregiver support, Foster Grandparent Program, and more.

As a nonprofit, COCOA is grateful for the community’s support, whether in the form of donations or volunteering.

For more information, visit our website at www.councilonaging.org or call the office at 541-678-5483.

Central Oregon Council On Aging (COCOA) seeks to meet immediate needs for seniors while encouraging a maximum amount of self-help and independence. Its mission is to promote dignity, well-being, security and independence for Central Oregon seniors and disabled adults. COCOA is private nonprofit organization and the designated Area Agency for Aging (AAA) under the Older American Act of 1965, responsible for providing services to meet the needs of senior citizens in the tricounty area of Central Oregon.

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Ageless EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR SATURDAY, MARCH 15

FRIDAY, MARCH 28

THURSDAY, APRIL 10

BENEFIT CONCERT: Featuring acoustic musician Tara Henderson; proceeds benefit the “Feed the Hungry” program; five non-perishable food items or $5 suggested donation; 56:30 p.m.; Bend’s Community Center, 1036 N.E. Fifth St.; 541848-0097 or www.bendscommunitycenter.org.

HOUSE CONCERTS IN THE GLEN: Portland’s Nathaniel Talbot performs, with Kurt Silva; bring dish or beverage to share; $15 donation, reservation requested; 7:30 p.m., doors open 6:30 p.m. for potluck; The Glen at Newport Hills, 1019 N.W. Stannium Drive, Bend; 541-480-8830 or ja@prep-profiles.com.

HOUSE CONCERTS IN THE GLEN: Boston, Mass. folk singersongwriter Ellis Paul performs; bring dish or beverage to share; $15 donation, reservation requested; 7 p.m., doors open 6 p.m. for potluck; The Glen at Newport Hills, 1019 N.W. Stannium Drive, Bend; 541-480-8830 or ja@prep-profiles.com.

SATURDAY, MARCH 29

FRIDAY, APRIL 11

OPEN STUDIOS: Caldera artists-in-residence present their work followed by a tour, film viewing and dinner; free, $45 and reservation requested for dinner; 1-3 p.m.; Caldera Arts Center, 31500 Blue Lake Drive, off of U.S. Highway 20, west of Black Butte Ranch; 541-419-9836 or www.calderaarts.org.

TURTLE ISLAND QUARTET: The chamber music quartet performs selections from Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis and Bob Dylan; $12, $8 children 12 and younger, plus fees; 7 p.m., doors open at 6 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-317-0700 or www.towertheatre.org.

JAZZ AT THE OXFORD: Featuring Western swing band Bruce Forman and Cow Bop; $39 plus fees; 5 p.m.; The Oxford Hotel, 10 N.W. Minnesota Ave., Bend; 541-382-8436 or www. jazzattheoxford.com.

WINE IN THE PINES: Featuring wine, beer and hard cider tasting, dinner, live music, prizes and a dessert auction; proceeds benefit Sisters Rotary; $40, $75 per couple; 6-10 p.m.; Brand 33, 16900 Aspen Lakes Drive, Sisters; 541-350-3085 or www.sistersrotary.org.

SUNDAY, MARCH 16 ST. PATRICK’S DAY DASH: A 5K race from through downtown Bend and area parks, with an after-party adjacent to the pub; contests for costumes and best wearing of green; proceeds benefit Bethlehem Inn; free for spectators; 10:05 a.m. race start, 7:30 a.m. registration, 9 a.m. costume judging; Deschutes Brewery & Public House, 1044 N.W. Bond St., Bend; www.bendstpatsdash.com.

TUESDAY, MARCH 18 ALL PICKERS JAM: Sponsored by the Oregon Oldtime Fiddlers, open to all fiddling styles and instruments, all proceeds to benefit Bend’s Community Center; free, donations accepted; 6-9 p.m.; Bend’s Community Center; 541-647-4789.

THURSDAY, MARCH 20 BUILD IT! BREAKFAST: Learn how Habitat for Humanity is changing lives in Bend and Crook County; free, donations accepted; 7 a.m.; St. Charles Bend conference center, 2500 N.E. Neff Road; www.bendhabitat.org.

“ROYAL BALLET, THE SLEEPING BEAUTY”: A screening of Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet performed at the Royal Opera House; $15; 7 p.m.; Regal Old Mill Stadium 16 & IMAX, 680 S.W. Powerhouse Drive, Bend; 541-312-2901.

FRIDAY, MARCH 21 OPEN MIC NIGHT: Featuring music, poetry, comedy and more; family friendly material only; free; 6-9 p.m.; Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 2690 E. U.S. Highway 20, Bend; 541-3187242 or www.bn.com.

POLECAT: The Bellingham, Wash. bluegrass band performs; $13 plus fees in advance, $15 at the door; 8 p.m.; The Belfry, 302 E. Main Ave., Sisters; 541-815-9122 or www.p44p.biz.

38 | Ageless

SOLAS: The Celtic band plays the Sisters Folk Festval’s Winter Concert Series; $30 plus fees in advance, $35 at the door; $10 plus fees for students in advance, $10 at the door; 7 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m.; Sisters High School, 1700 W. McKinney Butte Road; 541-549-4979 or www.sistersfolkfestival.org.

TOMMY CASTRO & THE PAINKILLERS: The California blues and rock band performs; $20 plus fees in advance; 8:3011:45 p.m.; The Belfry, 302 E. Main Ave., Sisters; 541-633-6804 or www.thesoundgardenstudio.com.

FRIDAY, APRIL 4 FIRST FRIDAY GALLERY WALK: Event includes art exhibit openings, artist talks, live music, wine and food in downtown Bend and the Old Mill District; free; 5-9 p.m.; throughout Bend.

SATURDAY, APRIL 1 EARTH DAY PARADE AND FESTIVAL: A parade and festival to celebrate the earth, with live music, local food, activities and more; free; 11 a.m.; downtown Bend; 541-385-6908 or www.envirocenter.org.

FRIDAY, APRIL 25 BEND FOLLIES: A fast-paced variety show starring local business, civic, educational and entertainment personalities; proceeds benefit the Tower Theatre Foundation; $19-$49 no fees; 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, 6:30 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St.; 541-317-0700 or www.towertheatre.org.

TUESDAY, APRIL 29

HIGH DESERT CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES: The Pasadena, Calif.-based Crown City String quartet performs; $35, $10 students and children 18 and younger; 7:30 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-3170700 or www.highdesertchambermusic.com.

PETER ROWAN: The Grammy award-winning bluegrass singer-songwriter performs; $25 plus fees in advance, $30 at the door; 7-10 p.m.; The Belfry, 302 E. Main Ave., Sisters; 541815-9122 or www.belfryevents.com.

SATURDAY, APRIL 5

FIRST FRIDAY GALLERY WALK: Event includes art exhibit openings, artist talks, live music, wine and food in downtown Bend and the Old Mill District; free; 5-9 p.m.; throughout Bend.

JINGLE “SPRINGLE” BELL RUN/WALK FOR ARTHRITIS: Runners and walkers don holiday costumes for a 5K run and walk, a one-mile walk and a kid’s fun run; rescheduled from 2013; proceeds benefit the Arthritis Foundation; free for spectators and 2013 registered participants, $25 for new participants; 10 a.m. kids fun run, 8:30 a.m. event check in and new registration; Pine Nursery Park, 3750 N.E. Purcell Blvd., Bend; 503-245-5695 or www.bendjinglebellrun.org.

SUNDAY, APRIL 6 HARLEM GOSPEL CHOIR: The New York gospel singers and musicians perform; $35-$45, plus fees; 7:30 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-3170700 or www.towertheatre.org.

FRIDAY, MAY 2

SUNDAY, MAY 11 JIMMY WEBB AND KARLA BONOFF: The Hall of Fame songwriters join up for a special performance; $30-$40, plus fees; 7:30 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-317-0700 or www.towertheatre.org.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14 JESSE COOK: The Canadian jazz guitarist performs; $36-$56, plus fees; 8 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-317-0700 or www.towertheatre.org.

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